For three long weeks, we worked tirelessly. And finally, our diligence began to bear fruit, inching us ever closer to the elusive targets that had once seemed unachievable. What had once appeared as distant aspirations now stood within our grasp, tangible and within reach.
And that weekend seemed more plausible.
But I had dug myself into a hole of utter exhaustion, a literal grave dug from weeks spent under the unyielding scrutiny of Anjali's discerning gaze. Every move, every word, scrutinized with unwavering intensity, until I felt as though I were unraveling at the seams. It was a relentless onslaught that left me teetering on the brink of collapse.
Finally, desperation seized me. Anjali had asked Sagar to take my place in a crucial prospect meeting the following day. I begged Sagar to turn down her request by claiming a clashing meeting. It required careful manipulation of data and a subtle alteration of facts, but I was willing to risk it all in pursuit of respite. Anjali agreed.
I was overjoyed. The car and hotel were booked and all was set for the next day.
I hit the gym extra hard that morning. It was a five-hour journey and I planned to sleep all the way. Then I would close the deal, get back to the hotel, have a drink and crash early. Then sleep another five hours on the way back the next morning.
The car was supposed to pick me up from my place. It came a bit late but I didn't mind because it was a beautiful morning. I opened the door to climb in and my jaw dropped. Anjali was already sitting there smiling at me.
"Good morning, Das. I thought I'd join you" she said.
Her words broke my temporary paralysis and I started ducking out. But she had already caught hold of my arm and pulled me into the car.
I couldn't help it. As the car started, I glared at her with a fury born of frustration and helplessness. She calmly met my gaze for a couple of minutes, daring me to challenge her authority, before averting her eyes and saying curtly, "Calm down Das."
That brought me to my senses. I turned to look out the window and tried to slow down my racing brain and heart. I was so upset even my hands were trembling. It took me ten to fifteen minutes to calm down and gather my thoughts. Then I turned and found her looking at me calmly. That sent the blood rushing to head and face again and I had to turn away again.
She had got through to me with one razor sharp thrust. These few weeks I had successfully blocked any of her attempts to open me up. It had not been easy but doable. Deflecting any questions, staying quiet and just getting the work done. Now one move from her had broken through.
I could still feel her eyes on me as I leaned back and closed my eyes.
"Think, Das," I whispered inwardly, the words a mantra against the mental chaos threatening to overwhelm me. "She's cunning, brilliant, and dangerous. Smarter than you."
In the quiet refuge of my thoughts, I grappled with the unsettling reality of her strategic superiority, each realization a blow to my fragile defenses. I couldn't outmaneuver her, couldn't hope to match her intellect with brute force alone. No, the only path forward was one of careful calculation, of strategic retreat and cautious evasion.
"You can't outmaneuver her," I reiterated, the words echoing like a solemn decree in the caverns of my mind. "The only way is to repair your defenses and keep her at bay." It was a daunting prospect, to fortify myself against her relentless assault, but I knew that it was the only option available to me.
That got my focus back. I turned back to her. "I sincerely apologize for my behavior ma'am. It's just that I have been super exhausted and you caught me by surprise"
She smiled disarmingly and said, "At least I got to see the real Das even if for a few minutes"
That again caught me off guard. But I recovered quickly. "If you want, I can brief you on the meeting"
"Sure" she said.
Glad to be back on sure footing, I took her through the pre-meeting brief. She had a lot of questions which I easily answered. But after half an hour my exhaustion started catching up as the adrenaline receded. I started stumbling over my words and losing my train of thought.
Suddenly she asked, "Describe me in two words"
"Smart and dangerous" I said without thinking. Then bit my tongue and glared at her.
"Good to hear," she said. "I would have been disappointed if you had said pretty or beautiful or other shit like that"
"I'm sorry ma'am. I thought you asked about the prospect" I said.
"No, you didn't." she replied with that smile again, "You heard correctly and answered truthfully"
I'd had enough. "If you don't mind, I would like to take a quick nap.", I said.
"Go ahead" she said. "I don't think there is any more work to be done."
I leaned back and promptly blacked out.
It seemed only a few minutes later that I was being shaken awake roughly. Someone was saying from far off, "Wake up! Wake up dammit!"
I struggled to come out of sleep. It was like I was drugged. Finally, the familiar smell of peppermint and a sweet but unfamiliar fragrance helped the world come into focus.
The first thing that I saw was Anjali literally on top of me shaking me with all her strength. Next her other hand came into focus. It was drawn back as if to hit me.
I jolted awake. "Get off me. Are you crazy?" I exclaimed
Anjali sprang back with a look of surprise. "What? I have been trying to wake you for the past five minutes. At least appreciate that"
"You were going to hit me," I said, still trying shake off the stiffness in my body.
Her look of offended surprise changed to that of amusement. Then she burst out laughing. "Well, no, at least not right away. You had another minute before that"
"Not funny" I muttered as I opened the door and stepped out and almost fell over as my knees buckled. My body was yet to fully wake up.
"We have time before the meeting" Anjali said from behind me. I turned around to see her looking at me with a worried look.
"Let's get a coffee so that you can recover from your nap" she continued, emphasizing the word nap.
I nodded silently. The day was progressing into a day of a series of unfortunate incidents for me. I was showing too much of myself in front of someone who was razor sharp and observing me very closely. Unless I pulled it together, the day was going to get worse.
We found a coffee shop near the client office and ordered coffees. I excused myself and went to wash my face. It was a relief to escape Anjali's constant scrutiny. I took the opportunity to straighten my clothes and stretch my stiff joints.
I walked back feeling more alive. I even managed a smile without hurting my face. We finished our coffees and headed to the meeting.
The meeting was the only bright spot in my day so far. It went amazingly well. I had been speaking with the client SPOC for almost two months. Anjali did not even have to participate. I just introduced her as my senior and got down to business. We literally just had to agree on commercials and sign and exchange contracts. We were in and out in ninety minutes.
I was all pumped. It was a big deal.
"Good job Das" said Anjali as we walked out.
"Thank you, ma'am," I replied.
"Let's have lunch," she said.
At lunch our interaction was almost companionable. Gone was the relentless scrutiny, the probing inquiries that had become a hallmark of our exchanges. Instead, a newfound sense of camaraderie blossomed between us, transforming the atmosphere into one of easy companionship. I relaxed feeling the pressure lift as she backed off. No longer did I feel the need to guard my every word or anticipate her next probing question. It was a welcome departure from the norm, a sudden shift in dynamics that left me pleasantly surprised. To converse with her in such a manner, to witness the depths of her intellect and curiosity unfold in a more relaxed setting, was a genuine delight.
In her company, I found myself at ease, basking in the warmth of her presence and the stimulating exchange of ideas. It was a rare pleasure, one that I savored, grateful for the unexpected respite from the rigors of our usual encounters.
We walked back to the hotel with our shoulders almost touching. With her so close, I could smell the peppermint every time she spoke. There was also that sweet sharp fragrance which I recognized as her perfume.
We reached the hotel and collected our keys. Her room was two floors above mine since it was a more premium room. As we went up, she touched my arm lightly and said, "Okay Das, you earned your rest. Get some sleep. Let's meet in the lobby at 6 pm"
"Okay," I said with a smile.
My floor came and I walked out light of heart. Anjali wasn't so bad when she wasn't being a sociopathic bitch. I entered my room, dropped my bag and fell face first on the bed. And I was on the train to dreamland.